Entropy, information, computing in 1990, maxwell s demon has been the subject of renewed and increased interest by numerous researchers in the fields mentioned above. This second law normally says that heat flows only from hot to cold. Maxwells demon and the second law of thermodynamics p radhakrishnamurty a century and a half ago, maxwell introduced a thought. His research was based on the two laws of thermodynamics.
Over years ago, james clerk maxwell introduced his hypothetical demon as a challenge to the scope of the second law of thermodynamics. The wrath of maxwell s demon that information theory does not say anything useful about maxwell s demon. An annotated chronological bibliography provides a colourful perspective on maxwells demon and a rich trail of citations for further study. Maxwell s demon is a character in an 1867 thought experiment by the scottish physicist james clerk maxwell, meant to raise questions about the second law of thermodynamics. Fascination with the demon persisted throughout the development of statistical and quantum physics, information theory, and computer scienceand linkages have been established between maxwell s demon and each of these disciplines. We will not attempt in the continuous case to obtain our results with the greatest generality, or with the extreme. In this paper, we will underline the flaw that exists in maxwells demon paradox using chemical. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel.
Yet it has challenged some of the best scientific minds, and its extensive literature spans thermodynamics, statistical physics, information theory, cybernetics, the limits of computing, biological sciences and the history and philosophy of science. His most notable achievement was to formulate the classical theory of electromagnetic radiation, bringing together for the first time electricity, magnetism, and light as different manifestations of the same phenomenon. Its a thought experiment which demonstrates that the concept of entropy from information theory and the concept of entropy from thermodynamics are really about the same thing, and connected in a very physical way. Mar 20, 2011 gleick ranges over the scientific landscape in a looping itinerary that takes the reader from maxwells demon to godels theorem, from black holes to selfish genes. The paradox a character who has played an important role in the history of physics, particularly in thermodynamics and information, is maxwells demon. Apparently, though, it was not maxwell who called it a demon. When information becomes functional and physical j. This book is more than an exposition of maxwells demon. General article maxwells demon and the second law of.
Discarding it leads to immediate increase in entropy but the demon cannot. Concluding chapters explore the associations between information theory, the uncertainty principle, and physical limits of observation, in addition to problems related to computing, organizing information, and inevitable errors. About 120 years ago, james clerk maxwell introduced his now legendary. Fascination with the demon persisted throughout the development of statistical and quantum physics, information theory, and computer science and linkages have been established. Maxwells demon the loophole the experiment first appeared in an exchange of letters between maxwell and peter tait around 1867.
But the textbook accounts already rely on our thermodynamic experience, only. It was imagined by james clerk maxwell in 1871, to illustrate the possibility of violating the second law of thermodynamics. What maxwells demon does is allow heat to flow backwards reverse the arrow of time, if you like by using information about the molecular speed. It was originally proposed by claude shannon in 1948 to find fundamental limits on signal processing and communication operations such as data compression, in a landmark paper titled a mathematical theory of communication. Maxwell s demon in 1867 james clerk maxwell suggested that a sentient being capable of. Interweaving his theory of global disorder with issues on the world stagecoupled with a disquisition on board games and the cell phone app angry birdsschwellers thesis yields astonishing insights. Although lot 49 is an experimental book that plays with narrative form and the nature of fiction, it is also totally spot on as far as social detail goes. About 120 years ago, james clerk maxwell introduced his now legendary hypo. With their input, maxwell presented the idea to the public in 1972 through a book titled theory of heat. The direct link between landauer s and bennett s work on computation and maxwell s demon came in 1982 with bennett s observation article 4. Maxwells demon 2 entropy, classical and quantum information.
Entropy, information, computing princeton series in physics paperback july 14, 2014. It was later unveiled to the public in maxwells book on thermodynamics titled theory of heat, published in 1872. The experiment first appeared in an exchange of letters between maxwell and peter tait around 1867. In 1871, maxwell again wrote to john william strutt on the same idea. Mar 12, 2018 origin and history of maxwells demon the idea was first floated in december 11, 1867, by maxwell in a letter to peter guthrie tait, his fellow scientist. A physical thought experiment demonstrating how just the possession of information might in principle have thermodynamic consequences was established in 1929 by leo szilard, in a refinement of the famous maxwells demon scenario. James clerk maxwells idea for violating the second law of thermodynamics.
Maxwells demon is a thought provoking examination of the connection of information and thermodynamics. At one point, oedipa walks across the campus of the university of california. By detecting the positions and velocities of gas molecules in two neighboring chambers and using that information to time the opening and closing of a trapdoor that separates them, a tiny, intelligent being could, in theory, sort molecules by velocity. These can be characterized in terms of the dominant explanatory concept. This was presented in his 1871 book theory of heat and is as follows. A classic source for exploring the connections between information theory and physics, this text is geared toward upperlevel undergraduates and graduate students.
The demon was invented by maxwell, one of the founders of thermodynamics and electromagnetic field theory, to challenge the second law of thermodynamics. Maxwells demon and the golden apple will appeal to leaders of multinational corporations and government. As individual gas molecules approach the door, the demon quickly opens and shuts the door so that only fast molecules are. This book explains the connection between maxwell s demon and the role of the observer and quantum eraser, showing that information science, thermodynamics and quantum.
The crying of lot 49 gives him the opportunity to parody the culture in which he became immersed, however briefly. This is entirely consistent with shannons own approach. Maxwell s demon was born in 1867 and still thrives in modern physics. Jul 17, 20 a discussion of the negentropy principle of information introduces brillouin s renowned examination of maxwell s demon. Maxwells demon in 1867 james clerk maxwell suggested that a sentient being capable of observing molecular motions might be able to bring about a violation of the second law of thermodynamics through a systematic sorting of molecules. Since then this being, dubbed maxwells demon by lord kelvin, has been an active topic of. Here, we present the history of the demon and a variety of interesting consequences of the second law of thermodynamics, mainly in quantum mechanics, but also in the. Entropy, information, computing princeton legacy library by. Information theory studies the quantification, storage, and communication of information. Will include dust jacket if it originally came with one.
This book gives a concise overview of maxwells demon and its impact on the. Scientists in japan are the first to have succeeded in converting information into free energy in an experiment that verifies the maxwell demon. These are videos from the introduction to complexity online course hosted on complexity explorer. Different demons maxwells device described above is an example of what is called a temperature demon, because it creates a temperature difference that can be used to run a heat engine. Its impact has been crucial to the success of the voyager missions to deep space.
Entropy, classical and quantum information, computing. This law forbids among other things two bodies of equal temperature, brought in contact with each other and isolated from the rest of the universe, from evolving to a state in which one of the two has a significantly. One of the best established facts in thermodynamics is that it is impossible in a system. Entropy, classical and quantum information, computing retains many of the seminal papers that appeared in the first edition, including the original thoughts of james clerk maxwell and william thomson.
Maxwells demon demonstration turns information into energy. Entropy in thermodynamics and information theory wikipedia. Fascination with the demon persisted throughout the development of statistical and quantum physics, information theory, and computer science, and links have been established between maxwell s demon and each of these disciplines. Try searching on jstor for other items related to this book. Sep, 2018 these are videos from the introduction to complexity online course hosted on complexity explorer. James clerk maxwell frse frs june 1831 5 november 1879 was a scottish scientist in the field of mathematical physics. As the dictionary entry above shows, maxwells demon is no more than a simple idea. Maxwells demon 2 entropy, classical and quantum information, computing. Video also covers reconciling the information theory of entropy with the macrostate. Maxwells demon, hypothetical intelligent being or a functionally equivalent device capable of detecting and reacting to the motions of individual molecules.
Fascination with the demon persisted throughout the development of statistical and quantum physics, information theory, and computer science, and links. Connecting the problem of maxwell s demon with that of brownian. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. He plays important roles in clarifying the connections between two theories. If the supernatural demon knows which half of the box the particle is in equivalent to a. In a famously brief book, shannon prefaced his account of information theory for continuous variables with these words. This book is about the history and evolution of the what heat is heat while containing many while the perpetual motion machine breaks the 1st law of thermodynamics, maxwells demon breaks the 2nd law of thermodynamics. Maxwells demon, a hypothetical being that appears to violate the second law of thermodynamics, has been widely studied since it was first proposed in 1867 by james clerk maxwell. Entropy, classical and quantum information, computing, is an updated and expanded version of the original. Fascination with the demon persisted throughout the development of statistical and quantum physics, information theory, and computer scienceand linkages have been established between maxwells demon and each of these disciplines. Buy maxwells demon 2 entropy, classical and quantum information, computing on. Leff 2016, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay.
Pdf maxwells demon and the second law of thermodynamics. The author, a giant of twentiethcentury mathematics, applies the principles of information theory to a variety of issues, including maxwell s demon, thermodynamics, and measurement problems. Maxwells demon is a thought experiment created by the physicist james clerk maxwell in. Entropy, information, computing makes the key literature easily available and helps with the crossfertilisation of ideas in different disciplines. And it has a very tantalizing name, maxwell s demon. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search.
This schematic sequence is used to illustrate maxwells demon, following maxwell s original description in 2. The demon was introduced to a public audience by james clerk maxwell in his 1871 book, theory of heat. Maxwell s demon is a thought experiment created by the physicist james clerk maxwell in 1867 in which he suggested how the second law of thermodynamics might hypothetically be violated. In the thought experiment, a demon controls a small door between two chambers of gas.
Well, it turns out that living organisms are packed full of maxwell demons. Different demons maxwells device described above is an example of what is called a temperature demon, because it creates a temperature difference that can. And this is the same maxwell famous for maxwell s equation, so he obviously dealt with a lot of things. In his 1867 thought experiment, maxwells demon, james clerk maxwell. Consider maxwells setup, but with only a single gas particle in a box. Jul 23, 2007 maxwell s demon was born in 1867 and still thrives in modern physics. During the first epoch discussions centering on maxwell s demon undoubtedly contributed to the muchneeded shaping and sharpening of. Fascination with the demon persisted throughout the development of statistical and quantum physics, information theory, and computer science, and links have been established between maxwell s demon and. Here, we present the history of the demon and a variety of interesting consequences of the second law of thermodynamics, mainly in quantum mechanics, but also in the theory of gravity. The book is named for james clerk maxwell s little imaginary genius, who could make your latte boil out of your travel mug given a chance. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. It s a thought experiment which demonstrates that the concept of entropy from information theory and the concept of entropy from thermodynamics are really about the same thing, and connected in a very physical way. It came near the book s end in a section called limitation of the second law of thermodynamics.
All these guys, you know, they all meddle in everything. An annotated chronological bibliography provides a colourful perspective on maxwell s demon and a rich trail of citations for further study. Maxwells demon news newspapers books scholar jstor march 2012 learn how and when to remove this template message. Speeds on the two sides a and b follow the same distribution, with some faster and some slower. Aside from the obvious operating difficulties that are waved away by. From maxwell s demon to landauers eraser thought experiments that long puzzled the thermodynamics community are now being performed in the laband theyre forging a deeper understanding of the second law. Essentially, this law states that heat does not naturally flow from a cool body to a warmer. Entropy from information theory entered the scene as well, during 1930s. Nov 15, 2010 maxwell s demon was the invention of scottish mathematician and theoretical physicist james clerk maxwell, who wanted to contradict the second law of thermodynamics although the name was given to. This book brings together 25 reprints, including seminal works by maxwell, which address the demon as it affects concepts in quantum physics and information science. About 120 years ago, james clerk maxwell introduced his now legendary hypothetical demon as a challenge to the integrity of the second law of thermodynamics.
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